You Know You’ve Reached Your 30’s When…

Every decade in our lives has significance and brings about many changes. But it seems to me that the transition from twenties to thirties has been quite noticeable in more ways than one. Though like every woman, I would be happy to remain twenty-eight forever, I’m quite enjoying my thirties and some of things that come along with it, such has having more money and enjoying quality time with family. Here are a few of the other things I’ve noticed.

You know you’ve reached 30 when…

You don’t split tabs anymore.

You’re over thirty now, which likely means you have a decent job with a good income. I remember the days when it didn’t matter how many of us there were, we would always split tabs. Because we were broke, and God forbid any of us pay for a coke we didn’t have. Now, we fight over who is going pay, since we all want to!

The qualities you want in a partner are non-negotiable.

When I look back at all the people who I’ve dated, I see people who have qualities that I wouldn’t accept now. I know what I want and what I like and what makes me happy. Certain traits or characteristics that might have been acceptable before are not anymore. The bottom line is that now I’m over twenty, I just won’t settle.

You can’t lose five pounds in a week.

I remember the days when I could clean up my diet for two days and instantly lose five pounds. Those days, unfortunately, are in my past. It is a sad and undeniable fact that as we age our metabolism slows down. This means that getting in shape takes much more than a couple of extra sessions in the gym and cutting out alcohol for a few days. My body doesn’t respond the way it did in my twenties, which means sticking to a healthy lifestyle day in and day out.

Drinking two nights in a row is physically impossible.

I don’t know how I survived all the partying in my twenties. My college days were filled with endless nights of partying and staying up all hours. I remember having hangovers, but nothing that kept me sidelined for too long. Now, a heavy night of drinking will have me in so much pain the next day that I feel as though my life is ending. Doing it for two nights in a row is physically impossible.

You want see your parents more.

When I was twenty-one, I moved to Vegas to pursue my career in the entertainment industry. Did I miss my parents? Sure. But I had already been away at college for three years, so it wasn’t that big of a deal. I saw them on holidays, and that was fine with me. Now that I’m getting older, they are getting older too, and finding the time to spend with them is more important than ever. There’s a new connection that develops with your parents as you age and realize they mostly knew what they were talking about. There’s more substance to me as a person, and I believe this is what enables us to spend such great quality time together.

Having good health insurance is a top priority.

When I was uninsured, I had a necessary $40,000 surgery. Thankfully, I was only out of pocket a thousand bucks, because I qualified for a special program that covered my medical costs. But I recall very clearly the financial lady who I was working with telling me, “You should go without groceries before you go without health insurance. Medical bills can ruin your life.” At that time, that was the first major medical problem I had ever encountered and visited the doctor very little, so insurance seemed more like a luxury than a necessity. I hate to admit it, but now it is a necessity. Things just come up. My body doesn’t function as the great well oiled machine it had previously, and I need to be able to handle those problems without stressing about giant bills coming in mail.

People under the age of twenty-five annoy the shit out of you.

I often overhear younger people talking amongst each other and wonder to myself, “Did I used to talk like that? Please tell me I never sounded like that.” And I’m sure I did. But I’m constantly blown away by the immaturity around me. I have to physically stop myself from blatantly rolling my eyes at those poor souls around me who can’t behave properly.

Things for your home are more fun to shop for than clothes.

I’m obsessed with furniture right now. I also just got a new refrigerator and dishwasher that was highlight of my week. I still enjoy the occasional new pair of shoes and that super fabulous party dress, but if I’m shopping online it’s typically for something amazing for my apartment. My home is where I spend a majority of my time, and while having a stacked closet is nice too, I want my place to be beautiful and comfortable and the place I enjoy being most. If you’re more dazzled by Z Gallerie than Bebe, you know exactly what I’m talking about.

Coffee is a necessity in your life.

I’ve gone from hating coffee, to drinking mocha somethings with more sugar and milk than coffee, to the occasional Starbucks latte to the present, which is being a full blown coffee snob who must have it everyday. Well, that’s an exaggeration. But I typically do have one shot of espresso a day prepared at home with some light foam. It genuinely makes my day better. I try to keep other simulants to a minimum, such as fat burners, which I cut out completely about five years ago. But coffee is one that I will never try to give up. There is some correlation between age and coffee; the two just go together. I’m not sure the semantics behind that correlation, but with each passing year, I seem to drink more and enjoy it more than I ever have.

Everyone you went to high school with is at least 20 pounds overweight.

It’s sad, but it’s a harsh reality. When you’re in your twenties, all your friends are too. Most people haven’t married quite yet or started a family. You know you’re aging when you look on Facebook and every person you went to high school with is at least twenty pounds overweight. It’s a like the harsh realization that you’re getting old. Old. UGH. I hate that word.

Retirement is something you’re thinking about and planning.

Retirement was never a thought in a my twenty something peon brain. But it’s a word that is fairly prominent in my vocabulary now and definitely the goal when I think about my investments. I’m not sure if you’ve checked lately, but it takes A LOT of money to retire. A LOT. Millions in fact. And if you haven’t started thinking about it or planning for it, now is the time.

Everything is too loud.

My neighbors our loud. The dog across the street is loud. The people next to me in the restaurant are loud. And the music is definitely too loud! When you start complaining about your environment being too loud, you’re definitely in your thirties. I’m going to chalk this one up to intelligence. We’re smarter and have more to discuss, thus why we need the right acoustic environment to do so. Honestly, if you look over the list, it appears that mostly, we are just becoming smarter and wiser with age!

“Age is an issue of mind over matter. If you don’t mind, it doesn’t matter.”

– Mark Twain

Lea is the Founder and Editor-In-Chief of BeyondThirty.net. She is a former professional dancer and IFBB fitness competitor, triathlete and all around fitness and beauty aficionado. Her passion is sharing her knowledge with women beyond the age of thirty, who are looking to continue to feel beautiful and fabulous.